The Worst Decision You Can Make Is Not to Decide

There’s a maxim I come back to time and time again, one I’ve seen violated across every layer of the innovation ecosystem: from founders and corporate executives to investors and even government leaders. It’s deceptively simple, but brutally true, “Not choosing is a choice. And it’s the worst one you can make.”

It’s easy to fall into the trap. We’ve all done it. You tell yourself you're just taking time to decide. That you’re evaluating options. That you’re waiting for the “right moment.” But let’s be honest, how many times has that “moment” quietly passed while nothing changed? Let me make it clear: indecision is not neutral. It’s an active force pulling you backward. You want to change jobs? Great. You’ve been saying that for a year. Maybe three. Or five. You want to pivot your product, rebuild your website, revise your investment thesis? Wonderful. But if you’ve been telling yourself that for months with no action, you’ve already made a decision. You’ve decided not to do it.

And the danger? You’ve convinced yourself otherwise.

This is where most people stumble, not in taking the wrong road, but in standing at the crossroads for so long they forget they’re standing still. You rationalize procrastination as planning. You rename fear as strategy. You package inertia as patience. Let me tell you: it’s not. If you can’t choose now, fine. Maybe you genuinely don’t have the information you need yet. That’s not weakness; it’s wisdom. But give yourself a deadline. A structure. A way to gather what’s missing. And then come back and make the call.

Because if you don’t, your inaction will make it for you.

Speak clearly to yourself: “I’m not ready to move forward now, and that’s okay but I acknowledge that not doing it is also a choice. And here’s why.”

This is not just about accountability. It’s about clarity. Because when you name your choice, you take back control. When the reasons change; when you finally gather what you need, you’ll recognize that now is the right time. And you’ll move. Fast. Otherwise? You’ll risk something worse than failure: regret. The regret of watching a business you could have saved slip through your fingers. The regret of a relationship you didn’t fight for. The regret of seeing your vision collapse under the weight of delays that felt strategic, but were just fear in disguise.

So here’s the truth, as hard as it may sound, indecision kills innovation. It kills momentum. It kills dreams. The courage to choose is what separates the visionary from the victim. Choose. Even when it's hard. Especially when it’s hard. Because clarity fuels progress. And every decision moves you forward.

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